The First Lady is the ship's sponsor. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will be present at the ceremony, an invitation-only event, as the principal speaker, General Dynamics announced on Monday.

The Illinois, the 13th ship of the Virginia class, is the first nuclear-powered attack submarine U.S. Navy combatants designed for the post-Cold War era. Unlike many of their contemporaries, Virginia class submarines are designed for a broader spectrum of combat operations, including open-ocean and littoral combat missions. They are planned to replace the older Los Angeles-class submarine.

So far, Electric Boat, in conjunction with construction partner Newport News Shipbuilding, has delivered 12 Virginia-class submarines, with another nine on the way.

General Dynamics is one of the world's largest defense contractors based in Virginia. The company focuses on post-Cold War era defense consolidation.